With South Africa in the grip of drought, the role of local municipalities to provide clean water, maintain infrastructure, and reduce wastage has become more important than ever. Recent data on staff vacancies show which municipalities are struggling to fill funded posts in their water management departments.

Municipalities in Free State seem to be struggling the most, according to Stats SA’s latest Non-financial census of municipalities report. The province recorded a vacancy rate of 24,4% in 2014. Of the 3 415 posts available in departments involved in water purification and water infrastructure, 833 were vacant¹.

Eastern Cape municipalities, on the other hand, recorded the lowest provincial vacancy rate (9,9%), with 626 out of 6 294 posts left unfilled.

The vacancy rate nation-wide for water related posts was 13,0%: 43 998 posts were available, of which 5 723 were vacant. This rate was lower than the overall vacancy rate of 14,6% for all municipal posts².

The map below shows where vacancy rates were the highest in water management departments. Tokologo Local Municipality in Free State topped the list (70,8%) in 2014. The area includes the towns Boshof and Dealesville. In second place was Westonaria in Gauteng (65,3%), followed by Polokwane in Limpopo (63,5%)³.

How do the metropolitan areas fare? With 40% of South Africa’s population residing in the eight metropolitan centres⁴, the drought is bound to place particular strain on the ability of these councils to meet demand.

Mangaung in Free State had the highest vacancy rate (22,0%) of the eight metropolitan councils, followed by Nelson Mandela Bay in Eastern Cape (19,7%). Tshwane and Johannesburg had the lowest rates, at 1,9% and 8,0% respectively.

¹ National data on vacant posts can be found in Table 2.2 of the publication. Municipal data can be found in Table 2.2 (2014) in the Excel file P9115_2014_unit data. Both files can be download here.

https://www.statssa.gov.za/?page_id=1854&PPN=P9115

² Excludes managerial positions.

³ Gariep Local Municipality in Eastern Cape recorded a 100% vacancy rate. However, water services are not provided by Gariep but instead are provided by the district municipality in which Gariep is located (i.e. Joe Gqabi).

⁴ Stats SA: Mid-year population estimates, 2015 (click here). https://www.statssa.gov.za/?page_id=1854&PPN=P0302